Railway-car coupling.



E. P. KINNE.

RAILWAY GAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 4, 1909 Patented Apr. 2

2 BHEETB -SHEET 1.1

E. P. KINNE.

RAILWAY GAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED mu. 4, 1909.

Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

2 SHEET-SHEET 2.

in srrrs EDMUND P. KINN E, OF ALLIANCE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN- STEEL- FOUNDRIES,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

RAILWAY-GAB COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

Application an January 4. 1909. Serial no. 470,606.

To all 012 mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND P. Knvuu, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alliance, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-CarCouplers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention pertains to car couplers of the J anney or pivoted knuckle type, and more particularly concerns means for actuat ing the knuckle-locking mechanism and for centering the draw bar or coupler. As is well known, car couplers of this type must have a certain amount of lateral play in order to permit them to swing as the train is rounding curves, such transverse movement being from 13; to 2% oneither side of the center line of the coupler. Because of this permissible lateral movement it frequently happens that the coupler headsare not. in alinement or rgeister when two cars are brought together to be coupled or connected, and it is frequently necessary for the brakeman to shift one or both of the couplers so as to adapt or position them to properly engage one another. Couplers of this kind are usually provided with vertii .illy movable looking or lifting pins, and uich pins are ordinarily equipped with litte "s, the operating mechanism for the latter s unetimes comprising a rock-shaft mounted v u bea rings on the end sill of the car and h 'ving a crank member connected to the upp *r end of the lock or lifting pin by a chain. in other cases the pinis lifted from beneath by means of a bent lever, one end of which is brought into contact with the lower end of the pin, which in some cases protrudes through the bottom wall or floor of the coupler-head, such lifting lever being connected by arod to a a hand-actuated lever pivoted 3 or fulcrumed on. the end sill of the car 'so that it can be manipulated without requiring the brakeman to passbetween the cars.

It is the object of myinvention to combine a lock-lifting mechanism of this general type with a draw-bar centering device, and

to accomplish this object I preferably eniploy a lock-operating or lifting-lever in the form of a bell-crank ,pivoted or fulcrumed' ;other end is connected by a rigid rod orlink to an actuating lever pivoted on the end sill of the car. I a

A further object of the invention is to fulcrum Such actuating lever-detachably on the car end sill or car-body'in such a manner that it can not be removed as long as the coupler knuckle and locking mechanism are in position, butcanbe detached upon removal of the knuckle and locking device, this fulcrum arrangement of the lever being such that the lever can be applied to its sup-' porting pivot stud only in the correct and proper manner, thereby eliminating-all possibility of incorrectly applying the lever by one inexperienced in this line. The construction and arrangement of parts of the device are also such that the connecting rod or link can be placed in position or detached from the actuating and lock operating levers only when the knuckle and locking mechanism have been taken out of the coupler-head. Consequently, it is impossible to disengage or render-this device inoperative except by dlsmantling the coupler itself.

Another object of this invention. is to make the device capable of centering the coupler without operating or actuating the knuckle locking parts and of performing the latter function without laterally shitting the coupler head.

My improvements are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the various views, and in these drawingsFigure 1 is a plan view of twowcoupier-heads looked together, and of my improved combined lock operating and centering. means; Fig. 2 is ayfragmentary end elevation of a car equipped with my improved is a side elevation ot'the lock operating bell crank lever; Fig. 4; is a plan view of the same; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan of one of the coupler heads with the lock operating or lifting lever omitted; Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2, partly broken away. illustrating the position of the parts which Wlll permit the connecting rod or link to be disengaged from the two lovers; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the fulcrum or pivot stud on whichvthe manually-actuated hand lever is mounted; and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an end portion of such lever, the- I cotiperating lock-lifting inner side of the lever being shown outermost in this view to more clearly indicate the construction. 7

In'the drawings 10 and 11 represent a pair of cotiperatin coupler-heads and 12 and 13 the pivoted nuckles thereof.

14 represents the knuckle lock and 15 the vertical, reciprocation, 1t eing understood that this knuckle locking mechanism maybe of any desired form of construction consistcut with its automatic release by the lock 0 crating mechanismdescribed hereinafter.

his latter mechanism comprises, in the embodiment shown in the. drawings, a lockoperatin'g elbow or bell-crank lever 16 notched at its angle at 17, rovided at 'ltS inner end with a foot 18 on w iich the lifting pin 15 is adapted to rest, and equipped at its upper end with a slot19.

As is clearly indicated in Fig. 6, one side Wall of the coupler head is apertured at 20, and outside of such hole and disposed be-. tween a vertical outwardly-extended fin 21 and the ortion 22 of the coupler head there is rovi ed a lever seat or fulcrum 23 on Wl'llGll' the lock-operating lever 16 is adapted to turn, its recess or socket 17 receiving a portion of the rib or fulcrum 23, as will be readily understood.

I mount on the end sill of the car body adjacent to the side of the car a fulcrum stud or pivot post shown in perspective in Fig. 7 and composed, of a flat base 24 having a plurality of apertures 25 for the accommodation of the securing screws or bolts 26, the post comprisin in addition a stud proper 26 and an a jacent cylindrical per tion 27 of somewhat larger diameter, the outer .end of the stud or post 26 having a transverse head 28 wider at 29 at one side of the post or stud than at the outer side 30, as is clearly shown.

The manually operated actuating lever ,31 has a handle portlon 32 at its free end, an intermediate aperture or hole 33 extended therethrough, and at its other end it is somewhat thickened to provide a substantially-cylindrical head 34 having extended therethrough ahole 35 of substantially the same shape and size as the head 28, this hole having a larger portion 36 to' accommodate the part 29 of the head, and a smaller por'-' tion 37 to receive the smaller part 30. This head also has a central cylindrical hole or aperture 38 of substantially the same diameter. as the part 26 of the stud and a larger concentric recess 39,-on its inner face, of

' practically the same diameter as the enlargement or boss 27. It will, therefore, be

apparent that this end of the actuating lever '31 may be applied to the fulcrum stud or post by positioning the lever as indicated in dotted lines-in Fig. 2, so that the hole 35 is in register with the head, 28, whereupon the in mounted forof the rod is received in the hole.

lever. may pushed over the stud, the portions 38 and 39 of the complex aperture or recess in'the lever receiving the parts 26 and 27, respectively, of the stud and on which parts the lever is adapted to turn or rotate.

Just as soon as this lever has rotated to any extent on the stud the-hole 38 is no longer in register with the head 28 and the latter prevents removal of the lever. It will be read ily understood that in this manner and in no other way can the actuating lever be applied to its sup orting fulcrum stud. For example, if it 1s attempted to place the lever on the stud or post with the aperture or recess 39 outermost, it will be impossible to...push the lever fully on to the stud since the for.- mer then has'on its inner face no recessor cavity to receive the enlargement or boss'27.-

applied to the studonly when the larger portion 36 of the hole 35 registers with the part 29 of the head. To connect thisactuating lever- 31 with the lock-operating bell-crank lever 16 I employ a rod 40 bent at one end to supply a lateralportion 11 to fit and'turn Furthermore, since the two parts of the head 1 28 are made'unequal in size, the lever can be in the cylindrical hole or aperture 33 of the actuating handle 31,-this end of the rod also having a downwardly-extended handle portion 42, the function of which is indicated hereinafter. At its other end this connecting rod or link has a lateral part 43 adapted to reside in the slot 19, this transverse portion terminating in a slight longitudinal extension 44 intended to fit in a recess 45 {located in the upper portion of the fin 21, the

latter having a bev ed or inclined. face 46, as indicated in Fig. 2, leading to such recess. In order to assemble the parts of this mechanism the knuckle 12, lifting pin '15, and lock block 14 are removed from the coupler head and the lock operating bellcrank lever 16 is placed in the head in the 'osition indicated in Fig. 6. The actuating ever 31 is applied to its supporting fulcrum stud .26 in the manner described-above, and while the handle is in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2.. Then the handle part 42 of the rod 40 is passed through the hole '33 of handle 31 until the lateral portion 41 The handle with the rod thus attached is then swung into the position shown in Fig. 6 so as to bring the finger or extension 44 of the rod into register with the slot 19, which is of apthereby bringing the lateral portion 43 into the slot in which it is intended to. have a bearing. The parts are then moved to the left as viewed in Fig. 6 until the lever 16 is seated on its fulcrum rib 23 on which it turns, so that all of the parts are brought to causes the posftion shown in full lines in Fig.

Then the lock blocl; and lifting pin an the knuckle id its piv t; pin are put in place and the n h.v ism is ready for operation.

To take the device apart the reverse of the steps indicated above is required, it being necessary of to take the knuckle, liftd out-of the coupler head, I .se parts are in position nossioi shift the lock operating bell-cranlz into such position that the connecting can be detached, and until such 1 l lied. it is not possible to tinti g: lever on its fulcrum to bring it to detaching pon it is desired merely to center the coupler by shifting it one direction or the other transversely of the car. the brakcman or operator the leve reetion.

grasps the handle 32 and turns on its fulcrum in the proper dithe brakeman pulls the lever to 1e device is illustrated in Fig. of the rod 40 engages the outer 3 vertical wall of the recess in the tin and to pull the coupler sidewise in response to the turning of the actuating lever. .lf, on the other hand, the operator desires to the coupler away from him, that is, to swing the lever 31 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, the coupler head is also moved to the right, the inner end of the extension or finger all striking the wall of the coupler head, pushing the latter and drawbar, as will be readily understood.

l l hcn it is ocsired to raise the knuckle locking device of the coupler head onto the lock-set or to swing the knuckle open, the operator grasps both handles 42and 32 and swings them to the left as-thc mechanism is viewed in the illustration of Fig. 2. His gin. be of the handle 42 with the handle 32 opci es to lift the inner end of the rod 40. the latter turning in the aperture 33, as will be readily understood. and such lifting of the raises the finger -llout of the recess ii-5, hereby permitting the lock opcratingr be lever 16 to swing on its L llcraok fulcrum without shifting the coupler head. Such n'un'emeni of" this elbow lever lifts the locking: mechanism either on to the lock-set or if the ban-(lie 3i is swung: far enough the knuckle itself will be thrown open. The weight of the lever 31 combined with that of the lockingmechanism of the coupler head and the bell-crank lever is such that when the brakeman releases the handle 31 all the parts will swing: automatically to the position shown in Fig. 2, the finger 44 traveling up the incline 46 and dropping into the 45, as will be perfectly apparent.

Whereas l have described herein all the details of construction of this particular em bodime it of mv invention. it is to be understood that the latter is not limited and restricted to the precise structural features set forth and that these may be modified to a considerable extent Without departing from the essence and substance of the invention.

1 claim:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a car coupler having a knuckle and a lock therefor, a lock-operating lover, an actuating lever, and means joining and disengagcably connected to said actuating and lock-operating levers, the parts of the coupler when in their normal positions preventing said means and levers from. assuming positions permitting their disengagement, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the character described,

vthe combination of a car coupler having a knuckle and a lock therefor. a lock-operating lever, an actuating lever disengageably fulcrumed on the car body, and means connecting said lock-operating and actuating levers, the parts of said coupler when in their normal positions preventing said actuating level-from assuming a position permitting its disengagement from the 211' body, substantially as described.

In a device of the character described. the combination of a car coupler having aknuckle and a lock therefor, a slotted lockoperating lever fulcrumed on the couplerhead, an actuating lever fulcrumed 0n the car body, a connecting rod fulcrumed on said actuating lever and bent laterally and then longitudinally with respect to the main portion of the rod to provide a retaining finger, said lateral portion being adapted to reside in said 'slot and be retained therein by the cooperation of said finger with said lock-ope *ating lever, said rod being capable of disengagement from said lock-operating lever when the parts are positioned to bring said finger and slot into register, substantially as described.

4. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a car coupler having a v the combination of a car coupler having a knuckle and a lock therefor, a lock-operating means, and an actuating means, and means joining said loclnoperating and actuating means and. having disengageable conncctions therewith permitting detachment ing prevented when the knuckleand lock are when the knuckle and lock are removed from the coupler head, such detachment bein position in the coupler head, substantially as-described.

6. In a device of the'character described,

I the combination of a coupler head having a knuckle and 'a lock therefor, a lock-0perating means, an actuating means detachably connected to the car body, and means joining said lockoperating and actuating meanscand having disengageable connections therewith permitting detachment of said joining means and ofxsaid actuating means from the car body when the knuckle and lock are removed from the coupler head,

- said detachments being prevented when the knuckle and lock are in position in the coupler head, substantially-as described.

actuating lever may be swung on its fulcrum with a portion of said rod in sand re cess to shift'or center the coupler or may be swung With the rod removed from said recess to actuate the lock-operating lever with out shifting the coupler, substantially as described.

8. In a device of the character described, thecombination ofa car-coupler having a knuckle and a lock therefor, alock-operat mg lever, and actuating means connectedto said lock-operating lever and capable of being operatively connected to 0r disconnected from the coupler, whereby the latter may be shifted to center the same or the Copies of this patent may be obtained-for lock operated without movement of the coupler, substantially as described.

9. A coupler unlocking mechanism comprising an unlocking-lever tpivote'di to the coupler-head and having amemberidisposed beneath the locking device, an operating 1 handle pivoted to the car-body, and a link connecting said operating handle and unlocking-lever whereby the coupler may be unlocked, said link'also being 'operatively connected with said coupler head which may thereby be laterally moved forfalinement, substantially as described.

10. A coupler-unlocking"mechanism comprising an elbow lever pivoted to the cou-.v

pler-head and having an-endthereof adapted to release the lock, an operating-handle pivotally mounted on the car body, and a link connectingthe operating handle and the elbow lever above its pivot, whereby the lock may be released, said link also being,

operatively connected with the coupler which may thereby be laterally adjusted for alinement, substantially as described.

11. The combination with a car-coupler of a lock-releasing lever pivoted thereto, an operating handle pivotally connected to the car-body by a bayonet joint, and a rigid link having its ends off-set and adapted to pass through apertures in the unlockinglever and the operating handle, respectively, the end of said linluassooiated with said operating handle being normally in a plane angularly disposed with relation to said handle, movement of said end into the same plane as that" of said handle thereby causing a corresponding movement of the en'd'of said link associated with the lock-releasinglever, substantially as described.v

EDMUND P. KINNE.

lVitnesses:

JAs. L. BUTLER,

WM, -J. GEDDERT.

five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. I 

